John buscher



(No Model.)

J. BUSO'HER.

INDEX TAB." No. 450,055. Patented Apr. 7, 1891.

UN ITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN BUSOHER, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR TO GEORGE D.

BARNARD, OF SAME PLACE.

INDEX-TAB.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 450,055, dated April 7, 1891.

Application filed November 12, 1890.

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, JOHN BUSOHER, of St; Louis, Missouri, have made anew and useful Improvement in Index-Tabs, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description. The improvement consists, mainly, in the combination of an outer part and an inner part, the form of the letter or whatever character or characters are to appear upon the tab being produced in the outer part, and the needed color being obtained by means of the appearance of the inner part of the tab, said appearance suitably contrasting with that of the outer part for the purposes in question, substantially as is hereinafter described and claimed, aided by the annexed drawings, mak ing part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 represents a development of the outer part of the tab; Fig. 2, a top edge view of the same; Fig. 3, a side elevation of the inner part of the tab; Fig. 4, a top edge view of the same; Fig. 5, a side elevation of the improved tab in position upon a leaf; Fig. 6, a top view of the parts of Fig. 5, but the parts of the tab not yet closed together norattached to the leaf Fig.7, a view analogous to that of Fig. 6, but showing the tab applied to the leaf; Fig. 8, a section, upon an enlarged scale, on

the line 8 8 of Fig. 5; Fig. 9, a view similar to that of Fig. 5, but exhibiting an additional feature; and Fig. 10, a top view of the parts of Fig. 9, but the tab parts not yet closed together nor the tab attached to the leaf.

The same letters of reference denote the same parts.

A represents the outer part of the improved tab, and B the inner part thereof, and O represents any leaf or other thing to which the tab is applicable. Said outer. part, so far as its outline is concerned, may be of any suitable form to answer the purposes of a tab, and it is usually, and substantially as shown, adapted to be folded to form two sides a a, between which is inclosed the inner part B of the tab-that is, while itis possible to carry out the improvement in a measure by means of a single side a or a in conjunction with the inner part B, it is better to employ the two sides and to produce said two sides by folding the part A substantially as shown. To produce a letter or whatever is to appear Serial No. 371,152. (No specimens.)

upon the tab, the form of the letter or character is stenciled or cut in the side a or a, the cut extending through the side to expose the part B, which is behind the side or between the sides, as the case may be. The inner part B differs sufficiently in color, tint-,or shade from that of the side a or a to cause the letter or character to be suitably visible. When the two sides of the tab are used, different letters or characters may appear in the two sides, respectively, of the part A, and a single inner part B may suffice in conjunction therewith. This arrangement is indicated in Figs. 1, 5, and 8, the letters E and F being formed in the sides Ct a, respectively, of the part A. It is obvious that the same or different letters or characters can be thus produced on the twosides of the tab. The tab is completed by closing the sides a a of the part A upon and securing them by cementing or otherwise to the inner part B, and the tab may be applied to the leaf 0 or other objects in any suitable manner. One mode is to extend the inner edges a a of the part A beyond the part B, and attach the tab by cementing or otherwise securing the extensions a a to the opposite sides, respectively, of the leaf.

Another mode is indicated in Figs. 9 and 10namely, a piece E of cloth or paper being I secured to the tab by folding it, as shown, around the innerpartB and suitably cement ing it to the parts A B, and then employing an additional piece D of cloth or paper, which is folded and cemented to the piece D and all the parts closed together and cemented to the leaf O, substantially as is indicated. By this means any strain caused by pulling upon the tab is more favorably distributed upon the leaf. \Vhen a piece, such as the piece D, is used as described, the same rule applies with reference to its appearance as it does to the part B, its appearance suitably contrasting stantially in the manner described. Leather is the substance preferably employed for the outer part A, and the inner part 13 may be of leather, leatherette, paper, cloth, or metal; but it is desirable for the surface of the finished tab to be as free as possible from shoulders or indentations, which in the use of the tab are liable to offer resistance to the fingers as they are passed over the tab, and in conse quence occasion injury to the tab. To obviate this objection I preferably employ for the two parts A B substances such as leather or leatherette, which, when the parts of the tab are pressed together, are moldable or shapable sufficiently to cause the portions of the inner part B, which are opposite the openings formed in the sides Ct at of the part A, to be forced outward into said openings, so as to render the outer surface of the tab substantially free from the indentations referred to. This is indicated in Fig. 8, the portion 1) of the part B being projected more or less toward the outer surface of the'sides cm. In carrying out this last-named feature it is possible for the inner part B to employ even a metal, provided it is sufficiently impressible to be shaped substantially as described, and with such metallic part any suitable material may be used for the outer part A.

I claim 1. An index-tab combining in its construc- ,tion an outer and an inner part, the form of the letter or Whatever character or characters are used being stenciled or otherwise prod need in said outer part to expose said inner part, whose appearance suitably contrasts with that of said outer part, forthe purpose described.

2. The combination of the folded part A, having letters or characters stenciled in its sides, respectively, and the interposed part B, contrasting in appearance with that of said outer part and serving to render the letters or characters outlined in said stenciled part suitably visible.

3. The coi'nbination, in an index-tab, of the outer part and the inner part, said parts consisting of shapable materials, said outer part having the letter or character stenciled therein and said outer and inner parts being closed together to cause portions of said inner part to be projected into the openings formed in said outer part, and said projected portions contrasting in appearance with that of said outer part, substantially as described.

lVitness my hand this 8th day of N ovember, 1890.

JOHN BUSOHER.

\Vitnesses:

O. D. MooDY,

A. BONVILLE. 

